


By evening's light

by ColdStarsAndStones



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Asra (The Arcana)'s Route, Flashbacks, Introspection, Love Confessions, Multi, OT3, Other, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 21:42:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15252624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdStarsAndStones/pseuds/ColdStarsAndStones
Summary: On his way home from work, Julian finds he has a lot to relfect on.





	By evening's light

**Author's Note:**

> Just some poly asrian for my soul <3

Vesuvia was surprisingly quiet at night.

 

When compared to the hustle and bustle and clangor of the usual day, the lull that settled over the evening made it feel stepping into another world. But it still felt like home, somehow. Bird calls sounded gently in the trees and the various insects buzzed the song of a telltale summer night. The vendors and bakers and various salesmen in the market had packed up their wares and were making the trek home, to warm beds and children or pets or the loves of their respective lives.

 

And honestly, Julian had never thought he'd be one of them.

 

But as he locked the doors to the clinic and made his way down the city's streets, he was inspired to take some time and reflect on the state of his life.

 

The clinic took up a majority of his time nowadays. After everything was settled and the threat of death via supernatural forces was well behind him, Julian thought it was finally time to settle down for a time, and pursue a good living and career. Nadia had given him the go-ahead and the funds to start a new health center in Vesuvia that mixed and sold medicines and performed checkups and various medical procedures, all available to the local community. Once it had gotten running, it had been doing well since. He and a few other doctors (some even remnants from the times of the plague) spent their days treating patients and offering aid to the community.

 

In very many respects, it was Julian's pride and joy. Days were spent washing and cutting and sewing and treating but he loved every bit of it. After so many years he was finally able to do what he loved to do. To take care and heal.

 

And to speak of healing, plenty of _that_ was done too.

 

Him and Asra had...a lot to discuss once everything was over. Julian himself ripped the metaphorical bandaid (with an appropriate amount of awkwardness) and proposed they clear the air.

 

They spoke of the past and the present. Apologies and forgiveness exchanged. But perhaps the hardest truth to swallow then, was that Asra's heart belonged to Francis and it always would. The two had a love that was their own and he knew he had to accept that. What right did _he_ have to interfere? He would never forgive himself if he lost their friendship over his own petty feelings. So Julian had done his best to quiet that stubborn part of his heart that still held on. The part that fell in love too easily, too all consuming, and too committed, always _too_ _committed_ for Asra.

 

Which is why he had been more than shocked when, instead of laying their romantic past to rest, Asra proposed to try again.

 

 

' _Not right away,' He ejected during Julian's stunned silence. 'Not...no rush. Not an impulse, just...us.'_

 

_When he didn't respond, Asra continued, fiddling with his scarf and not meeting his gaze. 'We both...we both rushed in and made... a lot of mistakes. And maybe you made some assumptions, and maybe I wasn't ready to open up. And it was confusing and it was a mess but...'_

 

_He trailed off and bit the corner of his lip, plush and soft looking and god he could remember every moment he'd spent daydreaming over how they felt against his._

 

_Then, Asra looked up and caught his eye with a heart twinging look that was so *open*._

 

 _'I-I never...I never_  stopped...'

 

_His mouth was dry and voice cracked as he replied softly._

 

_'Me neither.'_

 

_Asra gave a watery smile. 'I guess we both don't know how to let go.'_

 

_A smile graced Ilya's face but old whispers drew to the surface once more. 'How...How can you be so sure I won't make the same mistakes?'_

 

_'I could ask you the same. I'm not sure. All I know is that I'm willing to try and make quite a few *less* mistakes. And handle any new mistakes better than I did before.'_

 

_'But-'_

 

_'It was never going to be easy. I realized that back then, but...' Dimly, he felt a hand on his own._ _'There was never a doubt in my heart that you were a person worth loving, Ilya.'_

 

_He was sure at this point that his heart would've literally given up on him if he'd said no then. Hope sparked through him like magic as he looked into those beautiful violet eyes, but..._

 

_'Wait, w-what about...?'_

 

_'Francis?' Asra finished, a smirk on his lips._

 

_'Oh Ilya. This was their idea.'_

 

And so had begun what was arguably the best six months of his life. Starting slow and building a foundation of trust and commitment. Getting to know each other and talking, just talking about anything and everything. Becoming friends. Learning to love. Julian was never more glad to be alive. The days melded together into blurs of happiness and contentment. A new life and a new start with Asra and...

 

And Francis.

 

Oh dear god, Francis.

 

Truly, a thief beyond comprehension.

 

He had no words for the apprentice who stole his heart so easily.

 

As if he'd woken up one morning to find a chunk of his heart simply *gone*, hanging from their fingers as they smiled and whispered compassion and affection to it. Not as a broken thing, but as a person who deserved love and companionship, of all the things he could possibly deserve.

 

Perhaps he did fall in love too easily. But they hadn't minded, so he didn't care either.

 

Dates between two at a time turned into outings with all of them. Adapting to each others routines and talking and laughing. Days at the shop and nights curled up together.

 

It only occurs to him as he's walking down the sidewalk, past closing shops and idle conversations that they'd never officially started dating had they? They had just...fell in together. Love came easily to him for them, with so many nights in each others company. The bonds between them forged in adversity and tribulation proved far too strong to break.

 

And as he came upon his destination, a cozy little magic shop on the outer edge of town, he wondered how he could have lived without this. The upstairs was lit with a warm glow that no doubt came from the stove upstairs. Shadows moved against the wall, doubling and splitting in the light.

 

As the summer sun went down for the night, Ilya Devorak went home.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
